Whisk the cornmeal, milk and broth in a saucepan. Add some of the measured soup water and heat, stirring, until it boils and thickens. Gradually add the remaining measured water to the consistency you prefer. Add the salt and bring back to a gentle boil.
Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the bread cubes and cook until crisp, then transfer to a plate.
Heat the olive oil in the same skillet. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until fragrant. Add the separate hot sauce water, stir and remove from the heat.
Divide the soup among bowls. Spoon the tomato sauce over and finish with the croutons.
Cooking guidance
Whisk the cornmeal into the cold milk and broth before heating. Add the measured soup water as needed while it thickens; keep the sauce water separate.
Slow-simmered beef-bone broth made silky with yogurt, egg yolk and lemon, with garlic and a light dried-mint finish. This terbiyeli version turns homemade beef-bone broth into a smooth, lightly tangy soup. A terbiye is the whisked yogurt, egg-yolk and lemon mixture added gradually to the hot broth; a little flour helps it hold together.
Tiny rice-and-lamb balls, chickpeas and tender lamb in a yogurt broth finished with mint butter. Gaziantep yuvalama is a substantial celebratory dish, often described locally as a meal rather than an everyday soup. This home adaptation uses rice flour for the small balls; traditional preparations may grind soaked rice with meat.
An Afyon soup of whole green lentils and thin dried erişte noodles, with onion, tomato paste and flour. A little mint butter can be spooned over each bowl.
Shredded lamb and rice in a hot garlic-and-red-pepper broth inspired by Gaziantep’s cuisine. The home method uses a regular saucepan and avoids the dramatic flame of specialist beyran service. Longer professional cooking and individual copper-pan assembly give a different result.